AltWeeklies Wire
Kansas City's Hip-hop Wants a Piece of Hot 103new
Jaz Brewer has engineered albums for some of the biggest names in Kansas City rap. Some songs that Brewer has produced have made it to the city's only commercial hip-hop station. The vast majority, however, have not, and it's not because they aren't up-to-par productionwise.
Mac Lethal Prepares to Go Straight for the Heartnew
The funny, emotional, shit-talkin' white-boy rapper who's admired almost as much as he's despised has been making a living off his music in a way that runs against music-industry wisdom, which, given the state of the industry, is exactly why he's successful.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
06-16-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Life and Times Hits the Road with a Joyful New Albumnew
The band proves that three dudes from the Midwest who grew up on Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin can produce music that, while not as commercially successful as their idols', is no less transcendent.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
04-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Theirs Could Have Been Web 2.0's Wonder-Boy Success Storynew
Set to make millions with their YouTube-beating technology, the upstarts in Lifted Logic found a better market for their talents.
Abigail Henderson Fights Cancer and Rallies Musicians for Health Carenew
Stage III inflammatory breast cancer, to put it bluntly, fucks shit up. But as far as Henderson and her friends are concerned, it is not going to stop the rock.
Miles Bonny is the Innate Sounds Crew's 'Alpha' Malenew
Miles is all about the positive these days. The storied local DJ, hip-hop producer, jazz trumpeter and soul singer who has released solo material overseas has a new day job: as a case manager for troubled teens in Wyandotte County.
The Architects Get Catchynew
With Vice, the group amps up its sound to arena-rocking levels, throwing in plenty of gang vocals and melodic hooks to make sure it reaches the proles in the cheap seats.
David Brewis Goes for Baroque with School of Languagenew
More raw and rocky than Field Music, School of Language's melodies are sweet, but more distorted, with jagged guitar riffs dashing across blatty bass and crashing, compressed-sounding drums.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
04-01-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: School of Language, Sea From Shore
Easy Livingnew
Released on a Kansas City label, Answers proves that: (A) Ghosty is grown up, and (B) Ghosty does not sleep in — or, for that matter, sleep much at all.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
01-15-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Adrianne Verhoeven's Smokin' Solo Debutnew
A radical departure from both the high-charging emo pop of the Anniversary, Verhoeven's former, name-making band, and her current Fourth of July and Art in Manila, Smoke Rings finds Dri singing over soulful, danceable arrangements that combine live playing and prerecorded tracks.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
11-06-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Dri, Smoke Rings
Girlfriend's Fav. Producernew
Raised in east Kansas City and now based in Independence, D. Baker is a hip-hop producer with two songs on one of the biggest rap debut albums of the year.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
10-23-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: D. Baker
Go West, Says The Afterparty's New Albumnew
Whereas 2004's Forever After and last year's Under the Rainbow showcased soft-focus, barroom pastorals with gentle guitars and frontman Danny Fischer playing a Brylcreemed crooner, this new one captures the band's live sound.
Tags: The Afterparty
Radio Birdman: Ornithologynew
It's summertime, and the livin' is easy for this Aussie punk band.
The Pitch |
Jason Harper |
07-17-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Radio Birdman
Funny, but Not Just a Big Jokenew
Joey Skidmore makes the case for refusing to be serious.
Tags: Joey Skidmore, Ventriloquist Doll
Six Reasons to Listen to Junior Boys' Newest Instead of Timbalandnew
Reason number one: Timbaland will tell you to bounce -- repeatedly. Junior Boys will not tell you to bounce -- ever.
